Parklock control

ABSTRACT

A parklock assembly (10) for retaining the position of an automotive vehicle gear selector lever (22) in the park position while the vehicle key lock means (18) is in the off position and for allowing the gear selector lever (22) to move out of the park position while the key lock means (18) is in the on position. The assembly (10) includes a conduit (12) and a flexible motion transmitting core element (14) having first and second ends extending out of the conduit. A holding means (16) is slideably disposed about the first end of the core element (14) for engaging a projection (34) of the key lock means (18). The holding means (16) is urged by first biasing means (36) into the projection (34) when the key lock means (18) is in the off position. A terminal means (20) is fixedly disposed about the second end of the core element (14) and engages the gear selector lever (22). The assembly (10) is characterized by including second biasing means (24) for urging the terminal means (20) and the core element (14) to move relative to the conduit (12) in a direction longitudinally away from the first end.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to parklock assembly for retaining a gear shiftlever of an automotive vehicle with an automatic transmission in thepark position when the vehicle key is in the off position. This preventsthe vehicle from inadvertently being placed in gear when the automobilekey is in the off position.

BACKGROUND ART

Prior art assemblies include a slider member engagable with a gearselector lever and a cassette member engagable with a key lock. Theslider member and the cassette member are integrally connected by a coreelement. A gear selector lever is retained within a pocket defined bythe slider member. The cassette member engages the projection of a keylock and prevents movement of the assembly when the key lock is in theoff position. The cassette member is urged by a spring. When the key ismoved to the on position, the spring moves the cassette member and theslider member to allow the gear selector lever to move out of the pocketand out of the park position. To return the assembly to the parkposition, the gear selector lever is manually moved into the pocket. Thegear selector lever engages a finger on the slider member and pulls theslider member and the cassette back to the park position. The forceprovided by the gear selector lever to the finger must overcome theforce of the spring acting on the cassette member to place the assemblyin the park position.

In prior art assemblies, the slider member which defines the pocket isstamped metal. The stamped metal contains an extension which preventsthe gear selector lever from being moved from the park position when thekey is in the off position. If the user attempts to move the gearselector lever while the key is in the off position, the gear selectorlever engages the extension. High forces can be transmitted to theextension since the gear selector lever has a long moment arm.

The prior art assemblies are deficient in that they tend to be damagedby forces transmitted to them by the gear selector lever when in an offposition. In particular, the extension and slider become damaged by theforces applied to them by the gear selector lever. That is, prior artassemblies are not well adapted to prevent damage caused by forcestransmitted to them by the gear selector lever.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

According to the present invention, there is provided a parklockassembly for retaining the position of an automobile gear selector leverin the park position while the automobile key lock means is in the offposition, and for allowing the gear selector lever to move out of thepark position while the key lock means is in the on position. Theassembly comprises a conduit, and a flexible motion transmitting coreelement having first and second ends supported for longitudinal movementin the conduit. The assembly further includes holding means slideablydisposed on the first end of the core element for engaging the key lockmeans and for being retained in an off position when the key lock meansis in the off position and moveable past the key lock means when thelatter is in the on position. The assembly further includes firstbiasing means urging the holding means into engagement with the key lockmeans in the off position and into engagement with the first end of thecore element in the on position. The assembly further includes terminalmeans attached to the second end of the core element for preventingmovement of the selector lever when the key lock means is in the offposition. The assembly is characterized by including second biasingmeans urging the core element and the terminal means out of and awayfrom the second end of the conduit. The first biasing means provides agreater force than the second biasing means so that as the holding meansis held in the off position by the key lock means, the terminal means isurged to the extreme extended position by the second biasing means andwhereupon the first biasing means moves the holding means to the onposition while retracting the terminal means and overpowering the secondbiasing means.

Accordingly, the present invention offers a biasing means which reducesthe forces transmitted to the terminal means by the gear selector lever,thus reducing the potential of the assembly becoming damaged.

FIGURES IN THE DRAWING

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated asthe same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of one preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the second end of the assembly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the slider member of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 5--5 ofFIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED DRAWINGS

A parklock assembly for retaining the position of an automotive vehiclegear selector lever in the park position while the vehicle key lockmeans is in the off position and for allowing the gear selector to moveout of the park position while the key lock means is in the on positionis generally shown at 10.

The assembly 10 includes a conduit 12 and a flexible motion transmittingcore element 14 having first and second ends supported for longitudinalmovement in the conduit 12. The assembly 10 includes holding means 16 atthe first end of the core element for engaging the key lock means 18 forbeing retained in an off position when the key lock means 18 is in theoff position and moveable past the key lock means 18 when the latter isin the on position. The assembly 10 further includes first biasing means36 urging the holding means 16 into engagement with the key lock means18 in the off position and into engagement with the first end of thecore element 14 in the on position.

The assembly 10 further includes terminal means 20 attached to thesecond end of the core element 14 for preventing movement of the gearselector lever 22 when the key lock means 18 is in the off position.

The assembly is characterized by including second biasing means 24urging the core element 14 and the terminal means 20 out of and awayfrom the second end of said conduit 12. The first biasing means 36provides a greater force than the second biasing means 24 so that as theholding means 16 is held in the off position by the key lock means 18,the terminal means 20 is urged to the extreme extended position by thesecond biasing means 24 and whereupon the first biasing means 36 movesthe holding means 24 to the on position while retracting the terminalmeans 20 and overpowering the second biasing means 24.

More specifically, the conduit 12 includes a first end 28 and a secondend 26 which coincide with the first end and the second end of the coreelement 14. A terminal housing 30 is attached to the second end 26 ofthe conduit 12. A primary housing 32 is attached to the first end 28 ofthe conduit 12. The terminal housing 30 and the primary housing 32 aremade of an organic polymeric material and are molded about therespective ends of the conduit, providing a fixed connection between theconduit 12 and the respective housings 30, 32. The second biasing means24 reacts between the terminal means 20 and the terminal housing 30 andurges the core element 14 out of the second end 26 of the conduit 12 ina direction longitudinally away from the first end 28 of the conduit 12to the extreme extended position (as shown in FIG. 1). The assembly 10further includes first biasing means 36. The first biasing means 36reacts between the holding means 16 and the primary housing 32 and urgesthe core element 14 out of the first end 28 of the conduit 12 in adirection longitudinally away from the second end 26 of the conduit 12while retracting the terminal means 20 and overpowering the secondbiasing means 24 (as shown in FIG. 3). The first and second biasingmeans 36, 24 comprise helical springs.

The holding means 16 is slideably supported by the primary housing 32.The holding means 16 comprises a cassette member 16 and is preferablymade of an organic polymeric material. The holding means 16 is slideablydisposed about the first end of the core element 14.

A slug 35 defines the first end of the core element 14 and is fixedlydisposed about the core element 14. The slug is located on the outersurface of the holding means 16. The slug 35 keeps the core element 14from sliding relative to the holding means 16 when the key lock means isin the on position. The slug 35 allows the holding means to sliderelative to the core element 14 when in the off position. The firstbiasing 36 urges the holding means 16 into engagement with the slug 35when in the on position.

The core element 14 extends through a channel 37 in the holding means16. The core element 14 has the slug 35 fixedly disposed on the endthereof. The slug 35 is of greater diameter than the diameter of thechannel 37. This provides a lost motion connection between the coreelement 14 and the holding means 16. When the key lock means 18 is inthe off position, FIG. 1, and the user attempts to move the gearselector lever 22 into an operating position, the gear selector lever 22will engage the terminal means 20 and move it against the biasing forceof the second biasing means 24 (to the left as viewed in FIG. 1). Thiswill move the core element 14 in a direction longitudinally away fromthe second end of the core element 14. Because the holding means 16 isslideably disposed about the core element 14, and is restrained by thekey lock means 18, the core element 14 is allowed to slide relative tothe holding means 16, only in the direction longitudinally away from thesecond end of the core element 14, thus providing for lost motionbetween the holding means 16 and the core element 14. The slug 35 inthis case comes out of contact with the holding means 16. The slug 35keeps the core element 14 from sliding relative to the holding means 16when in the on position.

The holding means 16 contains a bore 33 therein. The bore 33 keeps thewall thickness of the holding means 16 constant. Since the holding means16 and the primary housing 32 are both preferably made of an organicpolymeric material, the holding means 16 can slide easily relative tothe primary housing 32.

The holding means 16 engages a projection 34 on the key lock means 18when the key lock means 18 is in the off position (as shown in FIG. 1).The first biasing means 36 urges the holding means 16 into the slug 35and moves the core element 14 longitudinally in the opposite directionto and against the urging of the second biasing means 24 when the keylock means 18 is in the on position (shown in phantom in FIG. 1). As thekey lock means 18 is turned to the on position, the projection 34 isdrawn upwardly and out of engagement with the holding means 16. Thefirst biasing means 36 provides greater biasing forces than the secondbiasing means 24 so that the core element 14 is moved in opposition tothe second biasing means 24 by the first biasing means 36 when the keylock means is moved to the on position. Thus, the first biasing means 36urges the holding means 16 and the core element 14 to the left as viewedin FIG. 1. In this on position, the projection 34 is on top of theholding means 16 and cannot drop to the off position.

The terminal means 20 includes the slider member 38. The slider member38 is fixedly disposed about the second end of the core element 14. Theslider member 38, the core element 14, and the slug 35 are integrallyconnected. Therefore, movement imparted to the slug 35 will cause equalmovement to be imparted to the slider member 38. Similarly, movementimparted to the slider member 38 will cause equal movement to beimparted to the slug 35.

The slider member 38 has a finger 40. The terminal means 20 alsoincludes a retaining pin 42 which defines the second end of the coreelement 12. The finger 40, the slider member 38, and the retaining pin42 define a pocket 44 for receiving the gear selector lever 22. Theslider member 38 is slideably supported by the terminal housing 30. Theslider member 38 and the terminal housing 30 are preferably made of anorganic polymeric material. This allows the slider member 38 to slideeasily within the terminal housing 30.

The retaining pin 42 is preferably made of stainless steel to preventharm to the terminal means by compressive forces transmitted thereto bythe metal gear selector lever 22 when the key lock means 18 is in theoff position. As shown in FIG. 1, if the gear selector lever 22 ismanually moved while the key lock means 18 is in the off position, theend of the gear selector lever 22 may engage the retaining pin 42. Sincethe gear selector lever has a long moment arm, high compressive forcescan be transmitted to the pin 42. Because the pin is made of stainlesssteel it can withstand such compressive forces without incurring anydamage.

The terminal housing 30 includes a plurality of spaced flanges 46defining a groove 48 for disposition between a shift gate 50 and a shiftbracket 52. The terminal housing 30 is frictionally engaged between theshift gate 50 and the shift bracket 52. The shift gate 50 and the shiftbracket 52 define a plurality of positions in which the gear selectorlever 22 may be moved. The primary housing 32 includes an abuttingportion 54 for retaining the primary housing 32.

In operation, the assembly 10 is initially in the off position as shownin FIG. 1. In the off position the projection 34 engages the holdingmeans 16 and prevents longitudinal movement of the holding means 16. Theslug 35 is biased into engagement with the holding means 16 by thesecond biasing means 24. The gear selector lever 22 is retained withinthe pocket 44 defined by the pin 42 and the finger 40 to preventmovement of the gear selector lever 22 out of the park position. As thekey locking means 18 is moved to the on position, as shown in phantom inFIG. 1, the projection 34 is drawn upwardly and the first biasing means36 overcomes the force of the second biasing means 24 and urges theholding means 16 into engagement with the slug 35. The slug is moved tothe left as viewed in FIG. 1 by the force of the first biasing means 36.This motion is transmitted to the slider member 38 through the coreelement, causing the slider member 38 to be retracted and moved to theleft or the on position, as viewed in FIG. 3. This movement draws theretaining pin 42 to the left and allows the gear selector lever 22 to bemanually moved past the pin 42 and into any desired operating positiondefined by the shift gate 50 and the shift braket 52. In this onposition the projection 34 cannot drop to the off position. To returnthe key lock means 18 to the off position, the gear selector lever 22 ismanually moved back to the park position. The gear selector lever 22engages the finger 40 and pulls it to the right as viewed in FIG. 1. Thesecond biasing means 24 also urges the slider member 38 to the right asviewed in FIG. 1. The second biasing means 24 also urges the slidermember 38 to the right to the extreme extended position. This urgingreduces the amount of force transmitted to the finger 40 by the gearselector lever 22. The holding means 16 is drawn past the projection 34of the key lock means 18 by the movement of the slider member 38, sincethe slider member 38, core element 14, and slug 35 are integrallyconnected. The slug 35 engages the holding means 16 and draws it to theright. The force applied by the gear shift lever 22 overcomes the urgingforce of the first biasing means 36. The key lock means 18 can then beturned to the off position and the projection 34 can move back to theoff position.

If the gear selector lever 22 is moved while the key lock means 18 is inthe off position, the lever 22 will engage the slider 38. The slider 38can move slightly against the urging of the second biasing means 24 ifthe force applied by the gear selector is greater than the urging forceof the second biasing means 24. The movement is not great enough toretract the pin sufficiently to allow the gear selector lever 22 to moveout of the pocket 44. The movement results in the core element 14 tomove in a direction longitudinally away from the second end 18 of theconduit 12, (to the left as viewed in FIG. 1). Since the holding means16 is slideably disposed about the core element 14, and the holdingmeans is restrained by the projection 34, the core element 14 moves in adirection longitudinally away from the second end 26 of the conduit 12.The slug 35 comes out of engagement with the holding means 16. Thiseliminates a destructive compressive force from being introduced to theassembly 10 by the gear selector lever 22.

When the manual force applied by the gear selector lever 22 is removed,the second biasing means 24 urges the slider member 38 to the extremeextended position. This movement, in turn, draws the slug 35 back intoengagement with the holding means 16.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is tobe understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to bein the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims whereinreference numerals are merely for convenience and are not to be in anyway limiting, the invention may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A park lock assembly (10) for retaining anautomobile gear selector lever (22) in the park position while theautomobile key lock means (18) is in the off position and for allowingthe gear selector lever (22) to move out of the park position while thekey lock means (18) is in the on position, said assembly (10)comprising; a conduit (12), a flexible motion transmitting core element(14) having first and second ends supported for longitudinal movement insaid conduit (12), holding means (16) slideably disposed on said firstend (35) of said core element (14) for engaging the key lock means (18)for being retained in an off position when the very lock means (18) isin said off position and movable past the key lock means (18) when thelatter is in the on position, first biasing means (36) urging saidholding means (16) into engagement with the key lock means (18) in theoff position and into engagement with said first end (35) of said coreelement (14) in the on position, terminal means (20) attached to saidsecond end (42) of said core element (14) for preventing movement of theselector lever (22) when the key lock means (18) is in the off position,said assembly characterized by including second biasing means (24)urging said core element (14) and said terminal means (20) out of andaway from said second end of said conduit (12), said first biasing means(36) providing a greater force than said second biasing means (24), saidterminal means (20) is urged to the extreme extended position by saidsecond biasing means (24) and whereupon said first biasing means (36)moves said holding means (16) to the on position while retracting saidterminal means (20) and overpowering said second biasing means (24). 2.An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said coreelement (14) including a slug (35) fixedly disposed on said first endthereof.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 further characterized bysaid holding means (16) having a channel (37) therethrough in which saidcore element (14) is slideably disposed, said channel (37) having asmaller diameter then said slug (35) for allowing relative movementbetween said core element (14) and said holding means (16).
 4. Anassembly as set forth in claim 3 further characterized by said conduit(12) including first and second ends (26, 28) and by including aterminal housing (30) attached to said second end (26) of said conduit(12) and a primary housing (32) attached to said first end (28), saidsecond biasing means (24) reacting between said terminal means (20) andsaid terminal housing (30) for urging said core element (14) out of saidsecond end (26) of said conduit (12), said first biasing means (36)reacting between said holding means (16) and said primary housing (32)for urging said core element (14) out of said first end (28) of saidconduit (12).
 5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 furthercharacterized by said first biasing means (36) having a greater biasingforce than said second biasing means (24) so that said core element (14)is moved in opposition to said second biasing means (24) by said firstbiasing means (36) when the key lock means (18) is in the on position.6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by saidterminal means (20) including a slider member (38) having a finger (40)and a retaining pin (42), said finger (40) and said retaining pin (42)defining a pocket (44) for receiving the gear selector lever (22), saidslider member (38) being slideably supported by said terminal housing(30).
 7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 further characterized bysaid slider member (28) being made of an organic polymeric material,said retaining pin (42) being made of polished stainless steel.
 8. Anassembly as set forth in claim 7 further characterized by said slidermember (38) being fixedly disposed about said second end of said coreelement (14).
 9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 furthercharacterized by said terminal housing (30) including a plurality ofspaced and parallel flanges (46) defining a groove (48) for mountingsaid terminal housing (30).
 10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9further characterized by said first and said second biasing means (36,24) comprising springs.
 11. A park lock assembly (10) for retaining theposition of an automobile gear selector lever (22) in the park positionwhile the automobile key lock means (18) is in the off position, saidassembly (10) comprising; a conduit (12), a flexible motion transmittingcore element (14) having first and second ends supported forlongitudinal movement in said conduit, a gear selector lever (22), keylock means (18) for moving between an on and an off position, holdingmeans (16) attached to said first end of said core element (14) forpreventing longitudinal movement of said core element (14) when said keylock means (18) is in said off position, a first spring (36) urging saidholding means (16) into engagement with the key lock (18) in the offposition and into engagement with said first end (35) of said coreelement (14) in the on position, and terminal means (20) at said secondend of said core element (14) for engaging said gear selector lever (22)and prohibiting movement of the same when said key lock means (18) is insaid off position; said assembly (10) characterized by including asecond spring (24) urging said terminal means (20) out of and away fromsaid second end of said conduit (12), said first spring (36) providing agreater force than said second spring (24), said terminal means (20) isurged to the extreme extended position by said second spring (24) andwhereupon said first spring (36) moves said holding means (16) to the onposition while retracting said terminal means (20) and overpowering saidsecond spring (24).